Jungle opens new offices in Barcelona to expand its creative potential
The creative ecosystem consolidates its presence in Barcelona with the opening of its offices in the 22@ district in Poblenou. An open-plan area of 700 sqm located at number 111 Álaba Street designed for teamwork and to encourage the exchange of ideas between PS21 Barna, Lúcid, True and Redbility, the four agencies of the group with a presence in the city of Barcelona.
The project is the work of the architecture studio Lagranja Design, led by Gerard Sanmartí and Gabriel Schiavon. In line with the axiom ‘form follows function‘, by Louis Sullivan, founder of modernist architecture, the architects of Lagranja Design have created a space in which functionality weighs on aesthetics. ‘When Agustín Vivancos contacted us, he conveyed to us the idea that it should be a space that encouraged unexpected interactions. This is how you energise an office’, explains Gerard Sanmartí, co-founder of Lagranja Design and architect of the project.
Removing the false ceiling was key to achieving the objective. This decision allowed architects to design two heights, an open-plan office with common spaces that fostered connection between people and, in addition, incorporate modular structures that function as rooms for teamwork sessions to promote privacy. On the ground floor, there are sound insulated and air-conditioned spruce wood boxes, interspersed between open work areas, a rest space, a stand for presentations, a dining room, a workshop, a warehouse and services. A spiral staircase provides access to floor 1, where the rest area and a meeting space for 10 people are located.
In parallel to the office project, the design agency Mucho developed the graphic and corporate identity of Jungle with the aim of creating a brand that represented the creativity of the ecosystem and that incorporated versatility and plasticity so that it could adapt to different projects without losing identity. The typography is inspired by the Swiss style of the Basel and Zurich school of the 1950s that sought to present information objectively. It is characterised by the use of sans serif and grid-based designs. Jungle’s typography was incorporated into the leather and surfaces of the office boxes.
‘From the first meeting it was clear that Jungle should not be inspired by nature. The energy and cosmopolitan vibe prevailed more than other discourses,’ explains Gerard. The inspiration is urban. In the 700 sqm, unpainted plasterboard, plaster, galvanised steel, tile and metal flooring predominate and the range of colours are greys combined with fluorescent mimosa yellow details. Restored old street lights of the city of Barcelona and galvanised steel staffs with fluorescent pink paint are the final touch to a project that suggests the speed and rhythm of a cosmopolitan city like Barcelona but also the calm and tranquillity of the Mediterranean.
The offices are located on the ground floor of the Álaba 111 building, a project designed by the architects Battle i Roig that stands out for its eco-efficiency and sustainability in the Poblenou neighbourhood, the sixth largest startup hub in Europe. Sustainability is also key in the architectural project to meet the standards required by the BCorp certificate, a recognition obtained by Jungle in February 2023. Lagranja Design has used minimal resources, recycled, sustainable materials and local suppliers.
